...His laughter was still on his lips, his eyes were still caught in hers, when there was a flash at the edge of his vision. She had seen it too, her ears flying up and open like sails caught in a gust. They sat up abruptly then, and the breeze was cool on their backs where they had lain. Another shimmering star crossed over them, silently gliding across the sky into oblivion, and then, nothing.

For a tense minute, nothing happened. The lion laid down, letting his arm wrap naturally around his mate. She found a spot for her horn to rest comfortably, and they waited. As soon as he saw it he pointed; far to the East a gathering of stars was beginning to fall. He felt her paw as a warmth on his chest, and the world outside of them melted away...